Changeable, but mild winter season expected for Eckville

The snow Central Alberta received on Nov. 23 could be seen as the beginning of winter, though the official start is still weeks away.

With a few centimetres of the fluffy white stuff covering the ground, The Weather Network has released its outlook on the winter season.

The main message of The Weather Networks winter forecast is it is going to be warmer than average, according to meteorologist Brad Rousseau.

“We are predicting milder air coming in off of the Pacific, which will bring with it milder temperatures,” said Rousseau.

While temperatures are expected to be warmer, Rousseau warns to keep the parkas out, as Alberta will experiencing “shifting weather.”

There will still be cold snaps throughout December, January and February, he said.

“It is pretty typical to see swings in an Alberta winter. This year we are just expecting the overall average to be warmer,” said Rousseau.

He said it is hard to predict just how much warmer the area will be this winter season, but based on the data The Weather Network has gathered, Rousseau says it will likely average a couple degrees warmer than normal.

“Last winter was colder than average for your area, but we will still see it get very cold, it just won’t be the dominant trend,” Rousseau said.

Along with the slightly warmer winter, Rousseau says to expect near normal or slightly below normal precipitation.

Precipitation could come in any form from snow to rain to freezing rain.

“Given the pattern we are tracking it doesn’t favour Pacific storms rolling through,” said Rousseau. “The storms that will come into the area will not bring an abundance of snow with it.”

He continued to say the amount of snow expected through Central Alberta should lean closer to average than below.

“You aren’t going to be free of snow, it’s just not going to be an above average year.”